


Nefarious Women

by BreeEasterling



Category: Midnight Poppy Land (Webcomic)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, BDSM, Consensual Kink, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Female Domme, Fluff and Smut, Male Submissive, Mild Language, Not Beta Read, Some Plot, side ship - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-22
Updated: 2020-09-24
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:22:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 16,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26021122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BreeEasterling/pseuds/BreeEasterling
Summary: Goliath is a simple man who enjoys the little things in life; smooth whiskey, a hot meal, and a nefarious woman.This story includes heavy BDSM themes, please do not take this as a guide to BDSM or kink in general. This is based off of personal experience and extensive research. Have fun and kink responsibly :)
Relationships: Goliath/Original Female Character, Tora/Poppy Wilkes
Comments: 34
Kudos: 47





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> A rewrite of a story I had started a few months ago. My plan had always been to keep the focus on fun, smutty, kinky stuff but somehow the first draft ran away from me and turned into all plot no fun - so here is my second attempt!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Goliath and Tanith have a brief Q&A

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hehehehe when I woke up this morning the story had 69 hits.

Ares Street was full of life even at two in the morning. Clubs were packed with patrons, lights flashed, groups of people roamed the streets, and the sounds of general debauchery filled the air. Scanning the street around me I continued to puff on a cigarette as I waited. Playing the part of a hooker wasn’t my ideal, but when it came to jobs, I had few options. It wasn’t like the clansmen in Narin City wanted to hire a secretary. They wanted money, power and sex. If I could trick them into thinking I could offer them one of the three, the rest of my job was easy.

When a black Lexus pulled up the women around me sprang to life, putting on fake smiles as the window rolled down; Hector Vasquez, a member of the King Pens and not my goal. Tina, a real working girl waited for my signal, I gave a quick nod and she stepped up to his window and accepted his money.

Tonight’s job was simple enough; find the location of the Nine Dagger’s drug den. I didn’t need to physically lay eyes on the joint, just figure out which block it was on. Once I got the information I need, I’d shoot the creep in the head and call for a ride home. Wash the stench of Ares Street off and binge Criminal Minds until I passed out on the couch. It wasn’t a glamorous life, but it was my life.

As I snuffed out my cigarette a red Porsche pulled up to the curb and the window rolled down. I smirked; perfect. A chorus of “hey Goliath!” came from the girls as I pulled myself away from the brick wall I leaned against and approached the driver’s side door. I had already paid the girl’s out to take his business from them, they respected my job and I respected theirs—women supporting women and all that shit.

Leaning against the open window, I pushed my boobs out and smiled softly as I batted my eyelashes. “Hey there handsome.” We had never met before, but I had seen Goliath here and there over the years. He had grown up in the same group of future thugs as my adopted brother—it had taken a few years, but Goliath had one of the more impressive glow ups out of the group, well he and Tora. Now he was a tall, lean, muscular man that was covered in tattoos and had bright copper eyes that just brought women to him in droves. It was disgusting and impressive. While I appreciated how good-looking Goliath was, he was no different than the other meat heads that branded themselves to a clan as a teenager.

Goliath smirked up at me from the driver’s seat, his copper eyes sparking in the dim light of the streetlamp above us. “You free for the night?”

I quirked an eyebrow. “The whole night? Are you sure you can afford me?” Reaching into his pocket, Goliath pulled out a roll 100 dollar bills—fuck me. “I guess you can…” I murmured before straightening up and walking around the back of the car. When I climbed into the passenger seat, Goliath wasted no time in pulling away from the curb and speeding down the street. We drove in silence until we reached the outskirts of Ares Street, where there were more apartment buildings than night clubs, that was when we pulled into a parking garage. Still without saying a word, Goliath came around to the passenger side before I was even fully out of the car to offer me his hand.

“Never understood how you women walk in those shoes.” He chuckled as he helped me up from the car, nodding down at the candy apple red Pleasers on my feet.

Looking back up into his eyes, I shrugged. “Trick of the trade.” Goliath kept a hand on the small of my back as he guided me towards an elevator just a few feet away from where he had parked.

Once inside the elevator the mood shifted. “By trade… are you referring to hooker or spy?” Goliath’s voice was ice cold as he reached forward and hit the emergency stop button on the elevator. We both moved quickly—Goliath put himself between myself and the elevator controls, while we both reached for our guns immediately aiming them at each other’s heads. We stood perfectly still, breathing heavy and staring one another down.

“How the fuck do you know who I am?” I hissed through clenched teeth. In this damn outfit all I had on me for weapons was my Beretta Pico, meanwhile Goliath had a Glock pointed at me.

“Lucky guess until you pulled a gun out of your snatch.”

“It was not—!” I took a deep breath. “It was just between my legs.”

Goliath smirked. “Regardless, sexy move.”

“Don’t flirt with me while you have a gun to my head.”

“Only have a gun to your head because you have one to mine.” He reasoned.

My jaw was clenched, my heart pounding—this was not supposed to be happening like this. Tonight was supposed to be an easy information gathering mission. Now I was stuck in an elevator with a rival clansman with my cover completely blown.

“What do you want?”

His gun lowered a fraction of an inch, pointing more to my neck—still a fatal shot, but better than my face… “Just wanna talk.”

“Bullshit!”

Goliath rolled his eyes. “I’m serious! Tora said you’d answer some questions for me.”

It felt like my stomach dropped out of my ass. “Tora told you who I was?” The betrayal was hot and painful. Forget the fact that we belonged to the same clan, I had thought we were friends.

“No.” This didn’t make me feel any better. “Just mentioned you work under cover on Ares Street as a stripper sometimes… I’ve been picking up different girls all month, tonight I finally got lucky.”

The fact that my cover was compromised did not change the fact that I had to bring information to Vincent tomorrow or else. Excuses were not acceptable when the boss was in a bad mood and fuck if he was in a bad one this week. If it came down to trading information, I wasn’t above it.

“I’m not just answering questions for free.”

“Never expected you to. Keep the money, hell we can even fuck.” Goliath winked at me with a smirk on his face.

“I don’t want money or dick, you fucker.” I growled as I lowered my gun. “I want information. An even trade.”

He looked a little deflated but lowered his gun and nodded in agreement. “Deal.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The smut train will be arriving next chapter, I apologize for the build up but it'll be worth it!


	2. Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tanith and Goliath have a Q & A

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For some reason when I posted the 3rd chapter I deleted the second, then deleted the first... so I think I have it fixed now.... Hopefully....

The apartment was minimalistic but clean. Goliath locked the door behind us and left me in the doorway as he headed towards the kitchen. “Want something to drink?” He called over his shoulder as he went. The main room of the apartment was furnished with a black leather sofa and two matching recliners all positioned around a coffee table to face the massive flat screen TV hanging on the wall. Beneath the TV were a collection of gaming consoles, I rolled my eyes. There was no art on the walls, but he did have a bookshelf with actual books on it positioned between the two floor to ceiling windows that looked out over Ares Street.

Wandering across the concrete floor towards the black leather sofa I nodded to myself, silently answering Goliath’s question before speaking. “Sure, whatever your having is fine.” The apartment was chilly, but then again, I was wearing next to nothing. While Goliath clattered glasses and ice in the kitchen, I took a seat on the couch and began unlacing my heels, my feet screaming when they were finally released from their binds. As my feet were freed Goliath emerged from the kitchen with two ice filled glasses and a bottle of whiskey. He set the glasses on the coffee table before pouring a few ounces of whiskey in both of them.

Goliath sat beside me on the couch about an arm’s reach away, whiskey in hand. Relaxing into his seat he laid his arm along the back of the couch and turned his attention to me. “Alright, what do you want to know?”

Picking up my drink I took a small sip, prepared to spit it out if anything tasted strange… Nope. Whiskey. Expensive whiskey. “Where is the Nine Dagger’s drug den?”

He choked on the whiskey he had just taken a sip of. “Damn, don’t bead around the bush do ya?"

I shrugged. “Don’t see the point. We made a deal, information for information.”

After successfully swallowing a sip of whiskey Goliath sighed. “Alright… Well then how about this, answer a question for me and then I’ll answer yours—now that I know your conditions.”

“Fire away.”

“Where is Quincey’s mother buried?”

Whiskey nearly sprayed out of my nose as I choked—my sinuses burned as my eyes filled with tears. Fuck that hurt. Out of all of the possible questions he had, I never imagined for a moment he would be asking something like _that_. The first Mrs. Balthuman had died tragically from illness when Quincey was sixteen and there had always been rumors surrounding her burial. Some thought Vincent had hidden his most precious diamonds and jewels with his late wife, while others thought information about other clans was with her in case Vincent ever needing a bargaining chip with the authorities. The funny part was, none of it was true.

“That’s the question?” I asked skeptically. Goliath nodded. “She wasn’t buried.”

Goliath’s eyes bugged out of his head in shock. “The fuck? She’s been dead for five years! Don’t tell me that sadistic fuck has kept her on ice.”

I rolled my eyes. “No, you idiot. Mrs. Balthuman was cremated. Vincent has half of her ashes; Quincey has the other half.”

Goliath slumped into the couch, his head rolled back as he closed his eyes. “Fuck!”

I took another sip of whiskey and shook my head. “The fact that anyone believed those rumors is fuckin’ funny.” In the five years since Mrs. Balthuman died, countless graves had been desecrated under the belief that they belonged to her. Each time Vincent cackled like loon over the absurdity of it all. “Now answer my question.”

“No, that is not an equal trade! You’ve given me nothing.”

“Wrong, I saved you from digging up the graves of innocent women who had the misfortune of being tied to the Balthuman Clan.” I snapped; my eyes narrowed.

Goliath sneered. “Answer one more question, and I’ll give you the fucking address.”

My teeth nearly cracked under the pressure of my jaw. “Fine.”

He took another sip of his drink. “How many guards does Vincent have on him when he leaves the mansion?”

“Six within his line of sight, up to fifteen in the air.” That was easy information that could have been gathered by paying attention—but this was Nine Daggers. They were known for their brawn, not brains.

“It’s an old warehouse outside of the west side of the city.” Goliath muttered, finishing off his drink, his eyes trained on me. “Heavily guarded, but it’s where we keep everything that isn’t in the middle of a deal.” Seeing his tense demeanor and his empty glass, I got an idea.

Setting down my whiskey on the coffee table, I slid closer to Goliath and ran my fingertips up his thigh. “Where do you keep the stuff in the middle of a deal?” He took the bait and leaned in close, his eyes growing heavy with lust the closer our lips became…

“None of ya fuckin’ business.” He whispered, his warm breath fanning over my face; a heaty mix of whiskey and his natural taste. Sitting back down with my arms crossed, I couldn’t help but pout as Goliath roared with laughter. “Sorry baby, you’re sexy as hell and I can see why so many fall for your tricks, but I’m not that easy.”

“Oh please, all men are the same. Bat your lashes, smile pretty, touch them a little and boom—done deal.”

Goliath leaned forward to refill his glass, chuckling softly all the while. I hated his handsome face, his easy grace, and the way his lips curls over his pearly white teeth. “Not all of us.” He picked up his glass and settled back against the couch, eyes back on me. “Can’t seduce me, and I’m willing to bet your tricks don’t work on Tora either.” He took an arrogant sip of his drink.

“My tricks don’t, but men like Tora are much easier.” I admitted with a shrug, seeing where this was heading before Goliath even said his next sentence.

“Oh yea? Prove it.”

Turning to Goliath, I reached for his glass. As if in a trance he handed it over and allowed me to set it down on the coffee table. With that out of the way I threw one leg over his waist, straddling his lap. Goliath watched in awe, his hands held a few inches from my hips as I got comfortable on his lap and tangled my fingers into the hair on the back of his head. Once I was finished shifting, his hands came to rest against the thin silk that covered my hips, his touch was tentative and gentle, sending a little shiver down my spine. Keeping my eyes locked with his, I leaned in until our lips brushed; warm breath, smooth lips and hazy eyes. He was waiting for something, but he had no idea of what—yet at the same time I had him exactly where I wanted; vulnerable, calm, and doing exactly what I wanted.

When our lips just barely brushed, I smiled. “Gotcha.”

Goliath released the breath he had been holding with a gasp. “Fuck.” I sat back and grinned at his bemused expression. “You are fuckin’ good at that.”

Settling back into the couch I shrugged as a ran my fingers through my hair. “That’s why they pay me the big bucks.”

“Can I ask a personal question?”

“You can ask, but I won’t promise to answer.”

“How old are you?”

Huh, age. A number. For some, age is everything; but for others it means nothing. For the men who raised me, age was a number, an annoying little thing that affected what they were able to get away with and what they were legally able to force me to do.

“I turned eighteen three weeks ago.” Goliath didn’t outwardly react to this; simply reached out and picked up his glass to take a long, contemplative sip. I couldn’t help but stare at his throat as he swallowed.

“So legally I could take you on a date.” It wasn’t a question.

I smirked but kept my eyes on my own glass in my hands. “Yes.”

“Then can I?” From the corner of my eye I saw Goliath, he was staring at me just as calm and collected as if he had asked me my favorite color. He waited patiently, studying me as I sat frozen in place, considering my options. There were a million reasons to say no; the primary one being that we belonged to rival clans and while it wasn’t technically against the rules to date outside of the clan, either of our bosses could kill us if they felt so inclined just for being seen with someone from another group. On the other side of the coin… did I truly care if I lived or died?

“Sure.” My answer took Goliath by surprise, but apparently in a good way since his expression brightened and a smile played at the corner of his mouth. As I finished off the last of my whiskey I considered if I had just made a very good choice, or a very, very bad one…


	3. Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Goliath gives Tora some advice before going home to his woman...
> 
> Takes place in an AU of present day MPL, no spoilers :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut ahead, you have been warned :)

Tossing another piece of sushi into my mouth I rolled my eyes as Tora talked. It was a typical Thursday night and we were seated upstairs at Alice’s feasting on our usual. But the conversation this week was one thing that wasn’t usual; Tora had finally managed to find a woman who wasn’t a total airhead. But like the oaf he was, he shoved her off just before things got good. It wasn’t that he lacked options, men and women alike threw themselves at the big guy. If it was just sex that he needed that would be easily fixed, but it was a common agreement among those close to him that he needed someone consistent by his side.

Tora sighed, hunched over his food. “She is better off without me.” He muttered, wallowing in his own self-pity as he ate his feelings.

“Says you.” I mumbled before shoving more food in my mouth.

Tora glared at me from across the table. “The fuck you say?”

After swallowing I took a deep breath, set down my chopsticks and looked my friend in the eye. “I said ‘says you’. If someone is better off or not is not just your call.” Rage filled his hauntingly copper eyes as I spoke; this look would have scared most others—but I knew better. Unless Tora was under strict orders, or you hit a nerve, he was all bark and no bite. Plus, I’d bite back if he tried.

“She’s safer.” Was all he could come up with as a response.

“Yea, and grass is green. That doesn’t change that she might be a lot worse off without you. Form what I heard you were good for each other.”

“How the hell do you know if we are or not?” He demanded, his temper flaring.

I rolled my eyes. “You do realize Tanith and I talk, right? We live together, damn it.” All Tora had talked about whenever he saw Tanith the last 2 weeks was this chick—how cute she was, how she cooked for him and how he had helped connect her to Quincey for her company or some shit. They were already showing signs of being a good team.

Tora blushed and turned his attention back towards his food, telling me he had definitely forgotten that whatever he says to Tanith will be repeated to me. The oaf had been the one to shove us into each other’s lives and yet he regularly forgot that we were together. It used to bother me, but after five years I just find it funny. Picking my chopsticks back up, I went back to my meal, but Tora was left frozen, staring down at his sushi with his jaw clenched.

“It’s not too late to call her.” I hinted nonchalantly. Tora’s only response was to flick a piece of salmon sashimi at my face.

By the time we were finished eating, Tora had his phone out and was texting only to delete the message over and over again. There was no need to ask what he was doing, I already knew. So instead I said goodbye and headed home. Big Bro could handle the rest on his own. And if not, well then there really was no hope and Tanith would be listening to him bitch about this flower-chick for the rest of her life.

The apartment was quiet when I arrived, but I smiled at the tranquil sight. The living room was illuminated with the soft glow from the TV, Tanith curled up in a blanket on the couch with her hair still wet from her shower and her face make-up free. It had been a long week for the both of us, she had been out most nights working while I had been out during the days collecting debts and checking in on cover businesses. We had been like ships passing in the night for six straight days and I missed her. As I shut the door, Tanith looked up and smiled warmly, she hadn’t changed much at all since that first night we met—her honey blonde hair was shorter now, cropped up to her shoulders, she had a few more tattoos, and she was a bit more muscular but overall she was the same baby faced woman I had fallen for; those same bright hazel eyes and soft lips that just felt like home every time I kissed them.

“Hey, how was Aniki?” She asked, muting the TV as I took off my shoes.

I sighed. “I think I got him to reconsider the Pansy chick.”

“Poppy.” Tanith corrected dryly.

Crossing the room, I shrugged before collapsing onto the couch, my face conveniently falling into her lap. “Yea, whatever.” It had been too long, even through the thick fabric of her sweatpants I could feel her heat, and even catch the scent of her arousal—it was like a damn siren call. Nuzzling against the crotch of her sweatpants, Tanith giggled, pushing against my head slightly in an effort to get me off of her. “What are you doing? I don’t have anything planned for tonight…” Her words turned to a moan when I reached around to give her round ass a squeeze.

“Don’t need a plan, just need you.” I said while snaking my fingers into the waistline of her sweatpants. Tanith sighed and allowed me to pull her pants down her legs, once I had tossed them across the room I settled back between her thighs and sighed in contentment as she went ahead and took off her shirt, tossing it in the same direction as her pants. _This_ was where I belonged. Not being in any rush, I took my time slowly licking up and down her soaking wet slit as Tanith sighed and relaxed into the couch.

This was all I needed in life; forget the money, cars, and attention—all I needed was this snatch and the woman attached to it. The soft moans and sighs Tanith made sent all the blood in my body straight to my dick. As I moved one hand from her waist to her clit, she writhed beneath me, her hands tightening in my hair as she rolled her pelvis against my mouth. When I slipped my middle finger inside of her, I sat up on my elbow and watched as Tanith’s face softened, her eyes closed, and her lips parted as her breaths turned into shallow gasps.

Working her over with my fingers was always the easiest time to watch her face, she loved it when I did this and for some reason, when my fingers buried in her hot cunt, I was always reminded of our first few times. It was a lifetime ago at this point, back when Tanith was shy and reserved, so unsure of what she actually liked and wanted between the sheets. I always treasured the fact that I was the one who got to introduce her to sex and intimacy.

It wasn’t long after we started having sex regularly that Tanith developed a taste for kink; she found she enjoyed being in charge, controlling the situation and how quickly or slowly we went. Although it had been difficult to admit with certain partners, I had always found it much more natural to submit, making Tanith my perfect match.

Tanith’s moaning pulled me from my thoughts as she threw her head back, one of her hands going to clutch her exposed breast. “Stop… teasing.” She mewled. It wasn’t a beg, Tanith wasn’t the one who begged between us, so I immediately dropped my mouth back to her clit and sucked hungerly as I increased the tempo with my fingers. When she came, her cry was soft and needy, her fluids covering my hand and wrist. All this did was make me want her more, after licking my fingers clean, I dove back in to make sure that every drop of her orgasm was cleaned up; with every pass of my tongue against her sensitive flesh, Tanith trembled. Once I was satisfied with my clean up job, I kissed and nibbled up her body until our lips met again. Tanith moaned when she tasted herself, her arms lazily looping around my neck as she played with the hair at the nape of my neck.

“Bed.” She ordered without breaking our kiss. Her order, although small, made me weak. Getting a better grip of her round ass, I lifted Tanith from the couch and carried her down the hall to our bedroom. Not bothering to turn on the lights I kicked the door shut before falling to the bed, twisting so that I would land on my back and have Tanith on top. There, _this_ was how it was meant to be.

Tanith made quick work of my pants, ripping them off my body before running her hands under the hem of my shirt and up my chest, her touch setting my skin on fire. Once we were both naked, and there was nothing between us, I breathed a sigh of relief. For a moment, seated on my pelvis, my throbbing dick pressed against her ass, Tanith smiled down at me with the softest eyes… It was a look I had come to recognize from her, but the meaning behind it was what drove me mad; it was love.

Leaning down to close the distance between us, Tanith kissed me firmly on the lips as she reached between her legs and took a hold of my cock, pumping me a few times before lowering herself onto me. Not feeling any shame, I moaned as she engulfed me in her heat, loving the smile it brought to her face. With her hands on my chest, Tanith used her thick thighs to raise herself up before dropping back down on my dick. She threw her head back as my thick shaft penetrated her over and over again, the sight alone enough to push me to the edge.

Bringing my hands above my head, I grasped the blankets beneath me and tried to take deep breaths in order to drag this out as long as Tanith needed to orgasm again. But when I opened my eyes and saw the look of pure ecstasy on her face it drove me mad.

“Please, mistress.” I begged, the honorific coming out so naturally when I was inside of her. “Please come on my dick.”

Tanith grinned at my pleading. “You want me to come so you can?” She asked, dragging her nails along my pecks, the sharpened tips of her nails biting into my skin deliciously.

“Yes, please.” I pleaded, unable to keep my eyes open I threw my head back, my jaw going slack. Tanith laughed as she suddenly removed my cock from inside of her. Bending down, she licked my neck from my shoulder to my ear, sending a shiver through me. “Get on top.” She ordered.

Snaking my arms around her waist, I flipped us so I was nestled between Tanith’s thighs, her ankles pressing into my hips. Looking up at me, her eyes bright and playful, she softly tugged at the hair on the back of my neck before speaking so sweetly and soft; “fuck me.” There was no need to ask me twice. Reentering Tanith, my head spun but I did my best to remain focused on bringing her to climax again before I met my own.

As I rolled my hips into her, my face buried in her neck, I felt Tanith reach over into the bedside table; there were a few items in the top drawer, condoms, a few restraints, a flogger and one of Tanith’s favorite’s a five inch anal dildo. I grinned into her neck, knowing exactly where this was going. She dragged the object along my spine before dipping it between my legs, using her own moister to soak the tip before dragging it back up between my ass cheeks. Feeling the smooth plastic against my ass I moaned softly.

“Ah, does my big man want his toy?” She teased, pressing it against me just enough to cause pressure but not actually enter me, it was maddening…

“Yes, please.” I begged, nibbling her neck softly as I did so. Tanith giggled as she pressed the moistened toy into my ass. My vision went white as I quickened my pace, fucking her and myself with my movements. Tanith grinned as I grew frantic, her walls tightening around me as I cried out, so close to my orgasm I could taste it.

“That’s it, baby.” She coaxed, kissing the corner of my mouth. “Come with me.” The small amount of encouragement was all it too, tensing up, I felt myself clench around the toy as I spilled myself inside of her as her cunt milked my cock. Once my orgasm subsided, Tanith removed the toy gently and laid it beside us on the bed.

For a few moments we remained perfectly still, my exhausted cock still nestled in her tight folds while Tanith raked her fingers lightly through my hair. I was completely sated, and would have fallen asleep right there on top of my woman if I could have. But we both needed to clean up, shower and make sure the other was okay.

Removing myself from Tanith, she winced slightly; it had been a few too many days and I wasn’t small by any means. Although our size difference had become less of an issue overtime, more than three days between sex made for some discomfort for Tanith, no matter how wet she got.

“Come on, beautiful.” I took her hands and pulled her to her feet. “Shower with me.” She beamed as I guided her into the bathroom. While I turned on the shower Tanith got us clean towels, then we met again under the stream of hot water.

She took her time washing me, then I did the same for her. Neither of us needing to say much as we went about our post-sex routine. We had established these little routines no matter if we had a pretty-vanilla coupling or if we went crazy with a fully planned out scene. Either way, it was nice to reconnect as individuals after coming together as one.

“I didn’t hurt you did I?” Tanith asked as she ran her hands down my backside.

I smirked. “Babe, it’s gonna take a lot more than that little thing to hurt me at this point.”

Tanith blushed, knowing how true the statement was before she stole a kiss and scurried from the shower. Taking a moment to wash the soap from my hair, I smiled to myself. How I had gotten so lucky was still a mystery to me. But as I stood in the shower, contemplating my luck in finding a girl like Tanith, I hoped that somewhere across town, Tora was fixing things with his own girl. Maybe someday he’d be as happy as me.


	4. Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tanith is given orders

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No smut this chapter but it'll be back in the next :) I do have a light plot so I'm trying to work it in with the kinky smutty goodness I have planned

Vincent dismissed the meeting a few minutes after 10pm, as men stood and picked up their own conversations on their way out of the room, I was stopped.

“Tanith, could you stay for a moment?” Vincent asked calmly, swirling the amber liquid in his high ball glass. Vicky, his current trophy wife, hung off of him like a vine. I didn’t mind her presence, it kept Vincent from looking at me too hard, but I did at times wonder what it was like to turn a blind eye to incredible violence and atrocities for the sake of money and security.

Tora quirked an eyebrow at me as he lit his cigarette. “See ya later.” He muttered before leaving at the tail end of the group, closing the door behind him.

“I have a job for you.” Vincent said plainly, breaking the silence after only a heartbeat. Vicky was more like a piece of furniture at times like this, remaining silent and patient while Vincent said and did whatever he pleased.

I nodded obediently. “Of course, whatever is required.”

Vincent smirked. “That’s my girl.” Ew. I hated it when he called me that, but I kept my smile calm and pleasant. “Tora…” My blood ran cold. “He has a woman in his life it would seem.”

There were a few ways I could play this. I could tell Vincent the truth; admit to knowing about Poppy’s existence but that I had never met her personally, tell him what I knew of Tora’s relationship, what I knew of the girl herself and so on… Or I could play it off and neither confirm nor deny anything.

“Tora is a handsome man, sir. Women come in and out of his life all the time.” It wasn’t a lie, but then again, Vincent hadn’t asked me a question. Sure, he gave me an opportunity to tell all I knew… but what was the fun in that? Tongues are like aces; you have to know when to hold them.

“This woman seems to be different.” His jaw was clenched, his piercing eyes boring into me with an intensity I knew all too well… Vincent didn’t like sharing his toys with others, and Tora was one of his favorite toys…

“What would you have me do, sir?”

Vincent was pleased by my question and apparent obedience. “For now, get to know her… trail her. Find out who she is, what she does. Maybe she can be of use to me.” Vincent settled back into his chair. “Goes without saying that Tora does not need to know about any of this.”

I remained hard as stone as I nodded in agreement. “I completely agree.”

The driver’s door slammed shut and I screamed. Screamed so hard my throat burned, my heart pounded, and tears threatened to spill down my cheeks. Fuck Vincent and his shitty little errands. All he wanted was to learn how disposable this woman was so he could decide if he wanted to keep her alive and lure her over Tora or have her killed off in order to keep his prized dog focused.

Out of all of the men Vincent had at his disposal, he had to ask me to spy on Tora’s woman. But he did that for no other reason than to remind me where I stood, who I belonged too, and who was in charge. It was a habit of Vincent’s to periodically remind me of my place in this world. From the day I came into his possession he had made it a point to use me in any way he saw fit. I had always acted as his spy, having an easier time slipping in and out of different areas of Narin City unnoticed and unrecognized. But as I grew older, he found new ways to abuse his power over me. But this was the first time he was forcing me against Tora, and it made me feel sick. As a child, when I was new to the clan, Tora was the only one who showed me any kindness, even if it was his own abrasive, backhanded way…

~~~

_All of the voices around me were unfamiliar and mean sounding but I listened hard, hoping to hear mommy or daddy’s voice again… Daddy had woken me up and put me in the car before driving me to this weird big house. It was the middle of the night, with stars still in the sky. He wouldn’t tell me what was happening or where we were, even when a strange man dressed in black tied up my hands and covered my head. The voices had been muffled after that, none of the words making sense, but at least I could hear daddy…_

_A door slammed shut and a moment later, the bag on my head was removed. I squinted against the bright light as I frantically looked around. Mommy and daddy were gone, all that was left were three large men in fancy suits and behind them, leaning against the wall was a tall boy who looked only a little older than me…_

_The man standing closest to me smiled down at me, but it didn’t reach his eyes. He had sandy blonde hair and piercing blue eyes, his grey suit was a little shiny and he smelled of expensive tobacco. “Hello there Tanith.” His voice was smooth and warm but frightening all at the same time. Daddy had always told me to never speak to strangers._

_“Where is my daddy?” I demanded, trying my best to not cry—but it was hard._

_“They won’t be coming back for you.” He said plainly. “You’ll be living with Mr. Lang from now on.” He gestured to the man at his left; He was a tall man with short black hair and cold black eyes. The way he looked at me made me feel like I was being watch by a hungry tiger at the zoo… “But for now, you need to get cleaned up and fed… You’re hungry, aren’t you?” His eyes were cold, but he was being so kind…_

_I nodded, my stomach growling as I did so._

_He turned to the boy behind him. “Tora. Keep an eye on her. Take her to the kitchens so Ms. Yamori can feed her then see that she cleans herself and changes into the clothes set out in the third guest room.”_

_Tora nodded in understanding before standing up straight and waving me over. With my hands still tied in front of me, I followed him from the room. He was much taller than me, and walked quickly down the dark halls of the big house without ever saying a word._

_“Hey, slow down!” I begged as I nearly tripped, but before I could hit the ground he reached out and caught me with a single hand. Looking up at his face, I found no emotion there, just a blank slate. “I can’t keep up.” I whispered, tears threatening again._

_He didn’t say a word, but instead untied the poorly woven knot around my wrists before shoving the cloth in his pocket. “That’ll help.” He muttered before putting a hand on my shoulder and guiding me forward. This time he walked a step behind me, ensuring he didn’t leave me behind and that I remained upright._

_“How old are you?” I asked, the silence growing uncomfortable the longer it dragged on._

_Tora sighed. “Thirteen.”_

_“I’m only ten.” I was about to ask another question, but we arrived at the kitchens. Ms. Yamori fed us large bowls of stew with a side of fresh baked bread. It was more food than I had ever seen at one time and tasted like heaven. Maybe this place wasn’t so bad after all… Once we were finished eating, Tora took me back upstairs to a large bedroom and connecting bathroom._

_“Shower. Change. I’ll be in the hallway so don’t think about trying to escape.” He warned from the doorway._

_Turning back to him, I felt my brow furrow. “Where would I go?” Mommy and daddy were gone._

_That was when Tora’s expression cracked for the first time since we met, his eyes softened, and his face looked almost… sad._

_“Anywhere but here.” He murmured before stepping out into the hallway and closing the door behind him._

~~~

As I opened the front door I could hear Goliath snoring on the couch. Locking the door behind me I took my time slipping out of my pumps before creeping up to the back of the couch. Low and behold, my man was spread out, mouth agape, snoring like a lawn mower while the TV played some infomercial in the back ground. In spite of my heavy heart and conflicted mind, I couldn’t help but smile—how was it that this man brought me so much peace, even while he was sleeping?

Reaching down, I stroked his blue hair, his black roots beginning to peek through. In a few days I’d come home to my shower covered in a film of blue hair dye… Goliath stirred under my gentle touch, reaching up to grasp my wrist as he turned his face into my hand, leaving a lazy kiss on my palm.

“Was Claude a douche?” He mumbled sleepily, his eyes remaining closed. If Goliath had it his way my adopted brother would be rotting six feet under already. He hated Claude and everything he represented from my past and I couldn’t blame him. Being a rapist is bad enough, but to stand back and admire, idolize and defend a rapist is a whole new level of evil…

“Was, is, and forever will be...” Goliath chuckled at my half-joke. “Vincent wants me to spy on Tora.”

That woke him up. Goliath sat upright up on couch with bright, confused eyes. “The _fuck_?”

I sighed. “Well, he wants me to spy on his girlfriend… So that he can decide if she is worth keeping around or not.” I sat on the back of the couch and ran a hand through my hair. “If she isn’t useful he’ll order her dead, I know it.”

“Well yea, it’s kind of Vincent’s schtick to kill nice things.” Goliath rolled his eyes. “Have you told Tora?”

“No—I don’t know what to do. Regardless of if he knows or not I’ll have to follow orders. I can promise you that someone will be checking in to make sure I’m doing what was asked.” The idea made me want to vomit again. “What the hell do I do?”

Goliath took my hand into his and squeezed, bringing my attention back to him. “Talk to Tora.”

“He’ll kill me.”

“No, all you’re doing it telling him that you were given orders. He needs to know that Vincent knows about Peony.”

“Poppy.”

“Whatever.”

Leaning forward I pressed my forehead to Goliath’s and released a deep breath. The innocent touch giving my nerves a little relief as I began to process what Tora’s reaction would likely be… “This conversation is going to suck.”

He chuckled darkly. “Oh, yes, yes it will.”

Goliath and I agreed that it was too late to call Tora now. So I texted him asking to meet at Alice’s for dinner tomorrow. He responded with an enthusiastic “sure” before following it up with a meme of a potato in a suit saying it reminded him of Scharch. As I turned off my phone for the night and crawled into bed beside Goliath, I was haunted by memories of Tora protecting me as a child, training me as a teenager and then working with me as an adult. My betrayal was not my choice, it was orders, he would understand that… But it didn’t take away the guilt.


	5. Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tanith has two very different conversations with two very different men.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is long and I wrestled with it for days... I apologize if it's lower quality, I was just struggling with what I was trying to convey. Thankfully the next chapter is going much smoother and I hope to have it posted soon!

Tora reached over and poked me in the temple with a finger. “What’s got your knickers in a twist?” We had been sitting at Alice’s for all of ten minutes and I hadn’t managed to say a single word that I had planned out. Goliath had damn near written me a script, but I had already thrown it out the window, deciding this was best handled heart to heart. Or, as close as Tora and I could get to that. Neither of us were feeling people, hell Goliath was the emotional one in my own relationship… So, for Tora and I to discuss something that was going to be emotional for both of us… Ugh. I wanted to jump off of Alice’s balcony.

“Out with it, punk, you’re freaking me out.” Tora muttered before taking a sip of his tea. It wasn’t often he used a pet name, but I had learned it was one of his few ways to show be was being sincere.

I took a deep breath in a futile attempt to settle my nerves. “Vincent knows about Poppy.” The silence that followed was as uncomfortable as I had anticipated. Tora was frozen in his seat, his eyes locked on me with a blank expression. We just sat there, staring at one another, neither one wanting to be the first to speak.

“How?” Words escaped me, leaving me to open and close my mouth like a damn fish. This did nothing to settle Tora’s nerves. Having no patients for my silence, he slammed the palm of his right hand on the table. “Damn it, Tanith! How does he know?”

“I don’t know!” My voice cracked, fuck. “He just asked me to find out more about her.”

Tora’s eyes widened. “He asked you to _what_?”

“Follow her, get to know her, learn more about her and your relationship.” The words came out in a rush, my heart hammering in my chest. I didn’t usually consider my physical health at risk with Tora around, but the fire in his eyes was unsettling and directed at me. The fear on my face must have been clear, because it was only a few moments before Tora took a deep breath and ran a hand over his face.

“Fuck!” He yelled, the walls shaking with the volume of his voice. “So what did you say? What’s happening?”

Questions meant he wasn’t going to kill me—yet. “I told him I would.” I shrugged. “Nothing else. I swear.” Letting out a deep breath, Tora ran a hand through his hair before taking his phone out of his pocket. He began to type something out before deleting it all and dropping his phone back onto the table and running his hands down his face once again. He was crawling out of his skin, caught between a rock in a hard place. “Look, I won’t actually give Vince anything. I’ll make her sound boring and useless.”

Tora rolled his eyes. “And risk ya own fuckin’ neck for lying?”

I shrugged. “What do I care?” Death was part of life, we would all die eventually. Statistics were already against me, I wouldn’t live a long life regardless of if I lied about Poppy or not.

Tora barked out a laugh, his expression portraying no amusement. “You may not care, but Goliath does and I’m not putting up with his whiney ass without ya. I did it for twenty-one years and I’m not gonna do it again.”

Before I had a chance to say anything, Alice appeared with our food. She set the large platter down in the middle of the table with one hand, while holding her vape in the other. She eyed us both wearily before huffing and leaving us without a single word.

As soon as we were alone again, I glared at Tora. “Then the fuck you want from me?” I snapped, catching Tora off guard with my sudden burst of emotion. He turned his gaze to me, wide and mildly startled. “I offer you a perfectly reasonable option; I lie to Vince, you keep Poppy on the down low for a while and he’ll be distracted by a new girlfriend, or a bad soccer game within a few months.”

Tora silently considered my plan as he glared down at the food on the table between us… It wasn’t great, but it wasn’t the worst idea. Vince would eventually grow bored of having Poppy tailed and would send me back to my regular duties. All I would really have to do was play along for a few weeks in order to reassure Vince that Tora was still loyal and focused on the clan and that Poppy was no more than a piece of ass. It wouldn’t be a hard sell, considering Tora’s history.

The silence was eventually broken by a deep sigh from Tora. “Fine. We’ll do your plan, but we’re doing it _my_ way.” I rolled my eyes; oh, this would be fun…

~~

The front door slammed, alerting me to Tanith’s return before she even began crashing around the apartment like a damn bull in a china shop. How someone so tiny could make so much noise was beyond me. It reminded me of the days when I lived with Tora. Removing my bag of popcorn from the microwave I ripped it open and began eating as I casually wandered out of the kitchen. By the door were Tanith’s messily discarded shoes and purse. Her jacket was tossed over the back of the couch, and down the hall was a trail of her clothes… As I took in the sights around me, I heard the shower turn on. Ah, she was big mad.

Standing in the hallway I took a moment to mentally prepare myself. I considered calling Tora to ask what had happened, but decided against it… If Tanith was big mad, Tora was probably big, _big_ mad. They were two dramatic fuckers. Rolling my eyes and continuing to eat my popcorn I entered the snake pit.

Tanith was in the shower but did nothing to wash herself, just stood under the stream of steamy water with a firm pout fixed on her face as she stared straight ahead at the white tile wall. Leaning into the doorframe of the bathroom I enjoyed the view for a moment, sue me I had a sexy woman, but it wasn’t long before I was able to see a tear slide down her cheek amidst the shower stream.

“Alright, babe.” I walked over and popped open the shower door. “What happened?” Tanith didn’t move as I reached in and turned off the water, when I turned away only to return with a towel she didn’t flinch. She was fucking catatonic as I held my popcorn bag with my teeth so I had both hands free to wrap her up in the towel and guide her back into our bedroom. After giving her a quick pat down to dry her off, I discarded the towel and put Tanith in bed.

As much as I wished I could just make her talk, like I did with everyone else in my life, I knew it was safer (for me) to just wait her out. So that’s what I did. I sat on the bed beside her, cross legged and eating my popcorn while Tanith sniffled and tears occasionally slid down her cheeks.

Then, after what seemed like a lifetime I staring at her tear stained face, she spoke.

“Tora agreed to my plan, but I have to do it his way.” She rolled her eyes at the very idea. “In no way is Poppy allowed to know she is being trailed, if she grows even the slightest suspicion, it’s over. For all backup and support I have to use Tora’s men.” Saying this brought a fresh wave of tears. “Then, and this is the best part; everything I take to Vince, Tora has to approve first.” Tanith threw her hands up in surrender before falling silent again… At least this time I understood the issue. The little, angry, ball of hellfire crying in my bed did not take well to being handled. It was partially why we worked so well together, I _loved_ being handled. It wasn’t Tanith’s fault, she developed the abhorrence to being controlled naturally; one person can only withstand so much abuse before they develop a full blown complex. For the first eighteen years of life she was sold off to the highest bidder like cattle before eventually being turned over to Balthuman in exchange for the forgiveness of debts. Life didn’t improve when she went to Vincent, he entrusted her into the care of the Lang family where she was beaten, and both sexually and physically abused until she was able to move out. The fact that Tanith trusted men at all was a daily amazement of mine.

Setting down my now empty popcorn bag, I laid down beside Tanith and pulled into my arms. She curled into me, rolling up into a tiny ball with her head tucked into my neck as she continued to sniffle.

“First of all, this is your job and you can do it however the fuck you want.” I whispered to her as I stroked her damp hair. “You went to Tora to be considerate, it’s not your fault that he is a control freak, and it’s not your job to make him comfortable… If he wanted comfortable, he should have found a woman a bit more durable than this Piper chick.”

“Poppy.” Tanith corrected as she rolled her eyes.

“Yea, whatever.” At least my forgetfulness earned me a smile; it wasn’t much, just a small tug at the corner of her mouth, but it was better than the sniffles and errant tears from before. Wanting to make her smile more, I sat up, extracting myself from our embrace before nudging her to roll over onto her stomach. “Roll over, I’ll rub your back.” I encouraged. It took a moment but Tanith eventually sighed and rolled onto her stomach, exposing her nude back. Straddling her ass, I worked my hands up and down her back, admiring the tattoos that decorated her pale skin. Between her Venus dimples was her brand; seeing the stark black tattoo against her soft creamy skin always made my stomach churn. For as long as I have known Tanith she has bad the Balthuman brand on her, but there wasn’t a day that goes by that I didn’t wish she wasn’t part of this world… The rest of her back was a mural of a black snake that looked as if it was slithering up her spine surrounded by red, black and white roses.

As I massaged her back and shoulders, Tanith moaned and turned limp in my hands—progress, but we could do better… As I rubbed circles into the middle of her back, I leaned down and began trailing kisses down her spine. When I reached her brand, I nibbled the skin softly before retracing my back to her neck.

Tanith giggled and squirmed underneath me. “What are you doing?” She hummed as I swept her hair aside and sucked on the skin of her neck.

“Kissin’ ya.”

I nibbled along her shoulder, wanting to eventually turn her back over… “I realize that… but why?”

I paused. “Fuck kind of question is that?” I sat up, sitting up on my knees enough to grasp Tanith’s hips and flip her so she was lying on her back. She looked up at me with bright hazel eyes, her hair drying messily around her. Silently I took in the beautiful sight of the woman beneath me; from her round face and soft cheeks to her bright, wide hazel eyes, down to her delicate collarbones, her tits that I couldn’t keep my hands off of anymore, those pebbled rosy nipples of hers, her toned stomach and then the valley between her hip bones that just dragged me between her legs, where I found her hot and wet.

“Just gonna stare at me all night?” Tanith’s voice was husky and warm as she looked up at me unblinkingly. My mouth always went dry when she looked at me like that—so innocent and sweet but I just knew what she was thinking was the exact opposite. It didn’t matter who was on top, who was giving, Tanith was always in charge and I refused to let her feel anything other than powerful in our bed.

Leaning down, I brushed my lips softly against hers before flicking my tongue out, wanting to kiss her breathless before going any further. Tanith smirked as she opened her mouth to me. I wasted no time in deepening our kiss. As our tongues danced, I became intoxicated by the way her scent and taste mingled; her skin still smelled of peppermint from her shower while her mouth still held a faint hint of green tea. Lazily I dragged my hands down her sides until I found the firm softer flesh of her hips, as soon as my fingers sank into her, I groaned and subconsciously began rutting my hardening dick against her heat.

Tanith smiled into our kiss, my desperation never failing to make her glow.

Content with her kisses for the moment, I kissed and nibbled along her jaw, pausing briefly to nibble her earlobe before moving to her neck. As I continued along my path, enjoying the journey, Tanith’s hands went to my belt. Without missing a beat, I pushed her hands away.

“Nope.”

Tanith huffed. “Why not?”

Sitting up I smirked when I found her pouting. Distracted by the shape of her lips, I lifted my hand in order to trace their edges before eventually answering her question. “Because I wanna take care of you.”

Instead of putting up a fight, Tanith just smiled and moved her hands behind her head. “Well then, by all means.” Happy to comply, I went back to worshiping every inch of skin on her body. As I covered here in kisses, my hands had a mind of their own; they paid special attention to her round breasts, tweaking her nipples until they became stiff peaks, and massaging the soft flesh until she hummed with pleasure. Once I was content with her breasts, I moved town to the apex of her thighs. She was hot, wet and wanting when I slid my fingers along her cunt. Moaning into her cleavage, I one finger inside of her. Already feeling teased, she was fluttering around my fingers with only the slightest stimulation. Lowering my mouth to her clit, I flicked my tongue out to lick her before latching on and suckling her clit. Tanith cried out, rolling her hips into my face as I continued to fuck her with my fingers.

When she came, it was a rush of fluid into my mouth, tasting of her and sending all the blood in my body straight to my dick. I couldn’t think straight as I licked up every drop, not wanting to waste an ounce.

As Tanith went limp in my hands, I kissed my way back up her body. “I love you so much.” I whispered against her skin. “You are the most beautiful, strong woman I’ve ever known and I am the luckiest man alive to have you in my life.” Planting a firm kiss on her already swollen lips, Tanith hummed in appreciation of my words as she wound her fingers through my hair, holding me to her. “Whatever happens, be it Tora being a dick or Vincent being blood thirsty, we’ll get through it.”

She didn’t beam up at me with one of her radiant, face cracking smiles, instead Tanith brought a hand to the side of my face, tracing my jawline softly before nodding in agreement. “Together.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now that I am back in school full time my posting will be inconsistent as best, but I will continue to post until the story is complete <3


	6. Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Goliath comes home to a pleasant surprise after a long day...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is a straight up smut chapter since the following chapter is all plot.... 
> 
> I have to give credit for the inspiration of the Nine Dagger's Leader; Saucytuggle's "Initiation" (it's amazing, everyone should go read it). I loved the idea of the leader being a woman, but that is the only intentional similarity between the characters.

The day had been long and full of frustration. It all began with a clan meeting where Madam Kimiko laid into the majority of the clan leaders about losing even more territory to rival clans. It was only one nightclub and a tea shop, but every property counted these days and she was losing her patients. From there I spent the entire day shaking down men to pay off their debts they gathered at the casinos. It wasn’t my favorite part of the job, but I knew it put me on Madam’s good side when I got my hands dirty.

By the time I got home I was bone tired and ready to relax. Tanith had been occupied the last three days following Tora’s chick around, but tonight she had someone filling in for her so we could actually spend some time together.

“Babe I’m home!” I called out as I took off my shoes by the door. Nothing was out of the ordinary, the apartment looked almost exactly as it had when I left for work that morning.

“In the bedroom!” Tanith responded. After taking off my shoes I followed the sound of her voice as well as the low hum of music, her “sexy time” playlist was always a good indication of what she was thinking for the evening. When I reached the bedroom door, my mouth went dry.

Tanith stood at the end of the bed looking like a damn goddess; she wore a black lacy teddy that left nothing to the imagination, matching black panties, and black lace thigh-highs. It wasn’t every night that Tanith went through the effort of lingerie, I preferred just having her naked between my hands…

“I thought we could do something fun tonight.” She explained, stepping closer to me. I was frozen in place, only able to nod dumbly at her words. Tanith closed the space between us, putting her hands on my chest as she leaned into me, her little warm body already turning me off. Instinctively my hands went to her hips, the contact allowing me to regain a little of my composure.

“What did you have in mind?” It was a damn miracle my voice didn’t crack, considering Tanith began tracing the tattoos on my arm as I spoke. She smirked, hearing the strain in my words.

Tanith licked her lips, the way her tongue darted nearly caused me to pant like a fucking dog. “Well, first I was thinking you could take off all of these clothes…” My hands when to the hem of my tee shirt, taking it off without needing anymore encouragement. Once that was discarded I removed my jeans and socks, leaving me in nothing more than my black briefs. Once I was still again, Tanith locked eyes with me. “Go to the bed, lay down on your back.” She instructed softly.

“Yes, ma’am.” While I got positioned on the bed, lying down in the middle with my hands behind my head, I watched as Tanith went to the top dresser drawer; I smiled, that was where she kept the majority of the toys and equipment we used for our kinkier sex. I watched attentively as she pulled out a length of black rope, her leather flogger and a satin blindfold. I tried to keep still and at least appear calm as she came over to the side of the bed and set out of her toys. Tanith took her time, going about things very methodically as she unraveled the black rope.

“Arms up.” She instructed; I raised my arms above my head. Tanith moved to straddle my waist then, the scrap of fabric disguised as panties doing nothing to shield her heat from me. I nearly moaned when the damp warmth pressed into my pelvis, but managed to remain calm. Tanith’s breasts fell in my face while she tied my wrists, something done intentionally knowing her—not that I was about to complain. If I died by suffocating in her cleavage, I’d die a happy man.

Tanith took her time properly securing my wrists, double checking that the knots did not press into the tendons of my wrists before securing the tail end of the rope to the headboard. Once I was restrained, she sat back on my crotch, the pressure against my cock was maddening. Seeing the pained look on my face, Tanith giggled as she picked up the black satin blindfold.

“Do you consent to being blindfolded?” She asked playfully. Restraints I was always down for, it was never a question. Blindfolds… I had to be in the mood, so Tanith always double checked. We had rules for a reason, and it was sexy as hell when she stuck to them as if they were law.

The stress of the day weighted on me, and I craved the freedom of submission. Not just physically, but mentally as well. Sensory deprivation was a great way to accomplish that. “Yes ma’am.”

When she slipped the satin on my head, it was cool and soft, and as my vision turned black, my other senses went into overdrive. Somehow, I became even more aware of the weight on my crotch where Tanith was seated, the way her lace panties felt against my skin, and how I could feel the wet heat between her legs. I could smell her mint bodywash mingled with the scent of freshly laundered sheets and her own natural earthy scent.

There was nothing more freeing than submission; to hand over everything I could to Tanith. To trust her to respect my boundaries and wishes, to give up control in exchange for mind blowing pleasure.

Blinding to the world around me, I could only feel and hear Tanith as she moved off of me to stand beside the bed. “You’re not being punished tonight, my love.” She explained, the distinct sound of her fingers raking through the leather strands of the flogger hitting my ears. “You’ve asked me in the past to use the flogger more when we play… Is that right?”

My mouth was dry as bone, but I managed to choke out a mangled “yes mistress”.

“So, what I’m going to do is use this flogger—” She brought it down across my abs lazily, allowing gravity to do all the work. Although it was gentler than a pat on the back, I moaned. “while I use you for my pleasure.” It was a fucking miracle her words alone didn’t have me blowing my load. “Maybe, once I’m done, and if you’re a good boy—I’ll let you come as well.” She pulled the flogger away, allowing the tails to drag across my skin, the sensation giving me goosebumps.

I panted like a dog while Tanith pulled my briefs down my legs before discarding them, leaving me naked to her on the bed. I had no way of knowing where she was or what she was doing, what would happen next? Would she wrap her lips around my cock and suck me off? Would she use her hands? Would she just go straight to riding me? I quickly realized how little I cared _what_ she did, so long as she did _something_ and soon.

“Tanith… please.” I panted, pulling at my wrist restraints the slightest bit, the rope bit into the skin of my wrists the slightest bit.

Her chuckle was melodic. “Patients, my love.” The bed on either side of my hips shifted, but I still couldn’t feel her. Knowing she was there, most likely hovering above my raging cock, was maddening. I writhed beneath her, able to imagine what her face looked like in this moment; she was grinning, ecstatic about the power she held over me while I was so vulnerable and open to her.

As my mind began to splinter and I considered speaking again, her warm, firm grip wrapped around my straining erection and I let out a mangled groan. It was relief, an instant working balm to my burning arousal.

“Ah, my big man is so hard for me already, and I haven’t even touched you.” Tanith cooed as she stroked me. She bent down then, her breath fanning over my neck and ear, sending shivers down my spine. “Is this all for me?”

“Yes, my love—” I moaned as she used her other hand to fondle my balls. “For you, always.”

Tanith chuckled again while she sat up, continuing to work me with her hands. I tried to take deep breaths— _in through the nose, out through the mouth_ —not wanting to come too quickly and have this end before she even got started. When I’m on top and have the illusion of control, I can go for hours… But when Tanith is clearly in charge, and I’m restrained and at her mercy… I feel like a teenager on prom night.

In what felt like a single motion, Tanith took her hands off of me and sunk down my full length—the sound that came out of me was borderline embarrassing. Her heat was consuming and tight as a vice as she settled down around me, taking a moment to relax on her throne. As she shifted into a comfortable position, her thighs snug against my hips, I listened for the soft little moans and mewls she always made in this position, they were intoxicating.

“Fuck me, please.” I begged, shifting beneath her, my dick stroking her walls and causing them to flutter against me.

The flogger landed across my chest with a bit more force than the first time—not enough to sting, but enough to cause my dick to jump inside of her.

“Who am I to tell a good boy no?” She road me in earnest, bouncing up and down as she brought the flogger down against my abs, pecks, arms and even thighs.

There was not helping the sounds I was making, I couldn’t even begin to stop myself from crying out as she kept up her punishing pace, punctuated by the bite of the flogger. She was quickly tightening around me, the walls of her hot cunt squeezing me as she neared her orgasm. I had to outlast her, although it felt as if it might kill me.

Tanith dropped the flogger beside me and braced herself with her hands on my chest as she came with a low moan, a rush of fluid soaking my dick and pelvis as she continued rocking against me. That was all it took, between her cunt pulsing around me, the scent of her arousal and the added lubrication, I cried out as I came inside of her.

As her orgasm calmed, Tanith collapsed onto my chest, both of us gasping for air.

Reaching up, Tanith removed the blindfold from my eyes and kissed my lips. “How was that for stress relief?” She asked with a wag of her eyebrows.

I laughed through my labored breaths. “I need to have more rough days if this is what I come home too.” Tanith laughed and tangled her fingers into my hair before kissing me again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I appreciate every comment and kudo <3


	7. Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tanith watches Poppy from afar, but it's not good enough...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Plot heavy, but I'm actually enjoying where this is going! I hope you enjoy <3

Tora’s men gathered like the obedient dogs they were, but two were specifically left out. Gyu was off the guest list for a few reasons, the primary one being his inability to help anyone other than “Big Bro” without throwing a hissy fit. Then there was also Akio, who was tall, lean, fast, and was usually found in places so dirty the rats avoided it. He was so fiercely loyal to Tora that he was impossible to even talk to without his permission—for obvious reasons I left him off the guest list as well. That left me with plenty of helpful options. Dion was my favorite of Tora’s men; strong, smart, discreet and helpful. He was almost equal to Tora in size and strength, but with a warm, chocolate complexion and black eyes that pierced like a knife. Dion was a widow and a father, but few within the clan knew about his little girl for obvious reasons. The remaining men reminded me of cookie-cutter gingerbread men; all in their mid-twenties, tall, dark and strong, always dressed in suits or gym clothes. They were like Tora clones without the mystic or natural intimidating façade.

We gathered in one of Vince’s warehouses, well out of everyone’s way.

“What’s going on, Tanith?” Moe, one of the cookie cutters, asked. “Where’s Tora?”

“I need your help actually, not Tora.” I explained as I leaned against the hood of my car. “Vince’s orders.” Everyone fell quiet but exchanged confused glances. “Don’t worry, I’m not asking for anything time consuming. You don’t have to actually do anything at all.”

Reggie looked panicked. “You want us to talk about Big Bro?” His fear was palpable, and well placed. Narking on your boss was a death wish.

“Never.” I vowed, allowing the men to visibly relax. “I’ve been asked to learn more about the woman Tora spends so much time with. Ms. Poppylan Wilkes.” I picked up a manila folder off the hood of my car. The girl had everything public on her social media; birthday, schools and universities, jobs and more, I’m surprised her apartment address wasn’t posted in her Instagram bio. Handing the folder over to Dion I continued on. “Vincent wants to know more about her and what she does, who she is. So I’ll be trailing her for the foreseeable future.”

Demetris audibly swallowed. “Tora won’t like that.”

“Let me handle Tora. Just make my life easy and don’t get me in my way, understood?” They all nodded. “Oh, and if you hear or see anything about this girl worth noting… You know how to find me.”

Watching Poppylan Wilkes was far from entertaining. Her life was boring. Mundane. Basic. She woke up late every morning, rushed to get ready then nearly missed the bus. Her co-workers didn’t offer much entertainment either, both chatty and normal unassuming people who just went about their days absolutely oblivious to the little changes in the office. There were cameras hidden, microphones, their computers had all been scanned. How could they notice none of this?

Besides Poppy not making for good entertainment, the most frustrating part of all of this was Claude’s presence. He always remained just out of sight, just far enough away to escape before I could confront him—but he was there. A few cars behind, a few parking spots over. Not consistently, never at the same times or places, but nevertheless he would pop up randomly. It didn’t help that he insisted driving a custom car that sounded like a dump truck and was painted lime green.

Gyu scowled at me as I sat parked the entrance to Poppy’s building parking lot. “I just don’t get why you’re here, Big Bro has me watching Poppy.” Gyu pouted.

“For the fifteenth time, Ronzo. I’m not here for Tora.”

This caused the security guard to puff up like an angry cat. “Then who are you here for?”

“None of ya goddamned business now lift the gate.” My patients were thin, and the gun holstered by my leg was screaming to be used.

“Oh yea? Or what?”

The barrel of the pistol was pointed between Gyu’s eyes before he could blink. It was only fifteen seconds later that the gate opened.

For eight days I trailed Poppylan Wilkes like she held the secret to life and came up with jack shit to show for it. By the end of the eighth day, my phone rang.

“Hello, sir.” I greeted calmly, sitting in my car parked outside of Poppy’s apartment. She was in the middle of watering her plants and singing along to some god-awful pop music. What did she and Tora even talk about?

_“Good afternoon, Tanith. What is the status of your current assignment?”_

“If I’m being completely honest, sir. This girl does nothing. She works, she comes home, she cooks… No connections, no friends outside of her co-workers who also have no connections. She hasn’t even seen Tora this week.” I added the last part for good measure, it was 100% true and would hopefully make Vincent bored.

There was a hum of understanding from the other end of the line. _“I see… Get closer to her. Stop watching from a distance I want to know what makes this girl ticks. I want to know about her family, her goals….”_ I rolled my eyes as Vincent spoke, I hated it when it got like this. He was creepy enough on a normal day. But when he had an obsession… I shivered. Ew.

“Yes sir, I’ll move in.” This was the part when Tora would flip. Once he realized Poppy was oblivious to being watched nearly 24/7 he had calmed down a bit, only checking in with me a few times a day and rarely trying to tell me what to do. But when I told him I’d be directly contacting Poppy…

Getting off the phone I decided to head home. If I was somehow going to infiltrate Poppy’s life, I’d need a plan.

Goliath looked over my shoulder as I reviewed the notes I had on Poppy’s comings and goings. “She goes to the same coffee shop around the corner from her office most mornings.” I mused, tapping my fingers against the table in a steady drumming rhythm. “She also goes to Quincey’s for regular Thursday evening meetings.” There didn’t seem like a natural way to enter her life that wouldn’t come off as creepy, or take too long to get on the level I needed to be. Strangers in the coffee shop don’t just ask you casually to hang out…

“Tora won’t help you out?” Goliath asked as he picked up a candid photo of Poppy, it was from the first morning I was trailing her, she was coming out of her apartment building and walking towards the bus stop; her long brown hair was tied up in a bun, she wore simple business casual clothes and carried a massive canvas bag that read “Naan Ya Business” with cartoon pieces of Naan with funny faces printed on it.

I sighed and leaned back into my chair. “Nope. He was irate when I told him Vincent wanted me closer to her, but then I reminded him I could just stop telling him what’s happening all together and he calmed down.” I winked up at Goliath, he was the one who had told me that I could just regularly remind Tora of who was actually doing the dirty work.

Goliath tossed the photo back onto my desk. “Then just as His Royal Highness to introduce you.”

Quincey. The Princess himself was the only other connection I had to Poppy. Standing up, I grabbed Goliath by the ears before pulling him down for a kiss. “You beautiful bastard, that’s genius!”

Goliath grinned. “I have my moments.”

Quincey Balthuman was the polar opposite of his father and that is why I liked him. We would do non-clan things together; manicures, clubbing on the weekends and wine nights. He never mentioned the clan, my job or anything like that and it was a breath of fresh air.

When I texted Quincey asking if we could talk, he responded very simply:

Princess Q: I’ve got wine, bring snacks

Twenty minutes later I knocked on his door with a grocery bag of snacks in hand. Quincey threw the door open dressed in a maroon house coat that looked like it belonged in pimp’s closet and bunny slippers.

“You’re a walking stereotype, Q.” I greeted as he took the snacks and rolled his eyes. Walking into the apartment I closed and locked the door before removing my shoes and joining Quincey in the living room. He already had things set up for our typical wine nights; Pretty Woman was on TV, blankets and pillows decorated the couch, wine and two glasses were already chilled and set out and he even set out the mud mask his stepmother got him from Thailand.

Standing by the coffee table I picked up the container with the mask, only understanding a few of the words on the label. “How are things with Vicky?” I called out.

Quincey’s exaggerated sigh came from the kitchen. “Still trying to buy my love. She can’t accept that I’m not going to be her bestie.” Quincey came back into the living room with a bowl of chips in one hand, dip in the other. “She wants to be my mom. We’re the same age.” I cringed; she was trying way too hard. “At least the last girl understood where she was in my life and stayed there.” Quincey mused as he plopped down on the couch.

Once I had a glass of wine in hand, the questions began. “Now what brings you to me today, lovely one?”

I sipped my wine, relaxing into the plush leather sofa. “What do you mean? Can’t a girl come to hang out with a friend?”

Quincey smiled warmly. “No.” Then he sipped his own wine. “Now spill, it’s not our usual night and I didn’t order you over here, so what’s the crisis?”

Setting my glass back on the coffee table, I turned to face Quincey head on. “I’ll tell you but you can’t ask questions.”

Quincey held up his right hand, palm facing me. “Scouts honor.”

“I need you to introduce me to Poppylan Wilkes.”

“My editor?” He questioned with raised eyebrows. I nodded.

Quincey pursed his lips. “Why?”

I sighed and picked my wine back up. “See, now that is a question…”

“It is, so answer it.”

“What happened to scouts honor?” I muttered into my wine.

Quincey sighed. “Yea, funny thing is… I was never a boy scout. Now tell me what you could possibly want with my sweet Poppy-kins.”

“Q, please—” Quincey held up a hand to stop me.

His next works cut like a knife; “she is a civilian, Tanith. I’m not handing her over to an assassin without explanation.”

My gaze dropped to my wine glass. “I’m an intelligencer…”

Quincey reached out and put his hand on my knee, brining my gaze back to him. His eyes were full of sympathetic warmth. “We both know what you were trained for. Call it whatever you want.”

I explained my situation as simply as I could without making me sound like a stalking lunatic. I wasn’t, I was simply being forced to stalk an innocent girl. As I spoke Quincey listened intently, eyes locked on me. I hated sharing so much information with him, it wasn’t a secret that Quincey stayed as far away from clan business as possible. But if there was ever a time to involve him, this was it. When I finally reached the end of my tale, bringing him up to speed on everything, Quincey sighed.

“I’ll introduce you on one condition.” He finally announced after finishing off his first glass of wine.

“Within reason…” Knowing Quincey it could be anything.

He refilled his wineglass from the bottle on the coffee table. “We all meet here. You play nice with her.” He warned with an intense gaze that reminded me of Vincent. “You also have to swear that whatever you see, whatever she does, you will lie to my father to protect her.”

My mouth went dry as my heart hammered in my chest. Meanwhile, Quiney sat back and sipped his wine, waiting on my answer. He was making it abundantly clear that if push came to shove, he would pick Poppy’s life over mine. The worst part was, I didn’t blame him…

“Deal.”


	8. Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poppy makes a new acquaintance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your patience with me <3 School is kicking my butt but I promise I haven't forgotten!

_Poppy_

\---

Tora had been acting strange since he picked me up from work. He greeted me with a fleeting kiss and a hallow hug before helping me into the passenger seat of the car. We drove in silence to Quincey’s, his knee continuously bouncing the entire drive. If I didn’t know better, I would have thought Tora was mad at me, but there was any number of reasons for him to be uptight; work being the most likely. But we had agreed months ago that discussing his work was not good for our relationship, so unless it was vitally important, we avoided the topic all together.

When the car was parked, Tora made no move to get out. Instead he just sat and stared out the windshield for a few moments as a tense silence hung between us.

“Before we go inside I gotta ask ya a favor.” Tora muttered, still staring straight ahead, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the steering wheel.

As far as uncomfortable moments with boyfriends, I far prefer the “favor” over “we need to talk”, so I nodded in agreement. “Okay, what’s up?”

He heaved a deep sigh before running a hand through his hair. “Quincey invited a friend over… he is going to lie about who she is, and how we know her.”

“We?” Poppy echoed softly, but Tora continued his train of thought.

“Quince is gonna try and make her sound like an easy going, fun chick for you to be friends with… but Bobby ya gotta promise me to be careful with her… She is gonna seem normal, like one of your friends from school, but she isn’t like ya and you have to keep ya guard up.” Tora glanced over at Poppy and reached out, taking one of her hands into his own.

A million questions raced through Poppy’s mind; if this girl wasn’t going to be who Quincey told her, then who was she? Why was she dangerous? “Tora… Why aren’t you telling me _who_ she is?”

Tora turned Poppy’s hand over in his own, brushing his thumb along the palm of her hand before lifting her wrist to his lips, lightly kissing her pulse. “I can’t Bobby… I’m sorry.” Poppy got the same sinking feeling in her stomach she had the first time she saw Scharch take Mr. Lam out of Chevy’s… Tora was rarely vague unless it involved the clan.

True to Tora’s warning, Quincey imminently began gushing about his friend he had “accidently” double booked with me.

“Her name is Tanith; Tora and I have known her since we were kids! You’ll absolutely love her.” Quincey chattered away as he continued to flit around the kitchen like a hummingbird. I sat on the countertop, sipping the wine he had poured me while I soaked in his words. “She works in communications and is very smart, you two even have the same hobbies!”

Tora grunted at this piece of information, earning himself a sharp glare from Quincey.

“Hobbies?” Poppy questioned in an attempt to force Quincey into admitting the truth. “Like what?” She tried to keep her voice as innocent as possible. Tora smirked as he bent down to look in the fridge for something to drink, knowing exactly what his clever girlfriend was doing.

“Oh you know, reading, working, plants…” Quincey kept his back turned while he spewed his lies, trying his best to appear busy with the meal he was preparing.

Now with his strawberry juice in hand, Tora leaned against the counter beside where Poppy was seated. “How did you ever track her down, Quince? You’ve never thought to mention Tanith to Pops before. I wasn’t aware you two were even close.”

Quincey continued to keep his back turned. “Oh! we bumped into one another at the coffee shop last week! We’ve been chatting ever since…” It was clear that Quincey was beginning to run out of excuses, his voice faltering and growing shaky—his discomfort was making Tora smile. But Quincey was saved by a knock at the front door.

“Yoohoo! Quincey, I’m here!” Poppy was startled that Tanith had let herself into the apartment, appearing in the doorway of the kitchen just a moment after calling out. Hadn’t Tora locked the door when they arrived?

Tanith stepped into the entrance to the kitchen and Poppy felt a lump form in her throat. _This_ was Tora and Quincey’s “childhood friend”?

It wasn’t her attire that startled Poppy, Tanith was dressed rather plain in head to toe black, but the rest of the girl’s appearance. She was short, no taller than Poppy herself, but built like a gymnast. Her shiny blonde hair was cropped at the collarbones, sweeping across the left side of her face. Poppy felt a shot of jealousy at her easy confidence and devious smile… Tora had told Poppy specifically not to befriend this girl, but it was hard to not want to.

“Looks like I’m late to the party.” Tanith mused, leaning into the doorframe as she crossed her arms loosely over her ample chest. Tora rolled his eyes and grunted without even glancing in the newcomer’s direction.

Quincey whirled around and giddily clasped his hands together. “Oh good you’re here! Tanith, I want to introduce you to my new editor and Tora’s girlfriend—Poppy!”

When Tanith’s gaze rested on Poppy, she felt her heart skip a beat. Her face was young, and pretty but there was something deep and concerning in those hazel eyes of hers that made Poppy uneasy. Tanith stepped into the room and held out her hand to shake Poppy’s. “Ah, yes the famous Poppy. I’ve heard so much about you I feel as if we’re friends already.”

Poppy shook her hand, slightly startled by Tanith’s firm grip. “I’m sorry but I know so little about you…”

Tanith smirked. “Well then let’s go sit and chat while the men finish cooking dinner?”

Before Poppy could leap off the counter, Tora stepped in. Placing a hand on Poppy’s knee to keep her from moving, Tora turned to face Tanith head on, staring down at her. “Yea, not happening…”

Poppy and Quincey watched silently from the sidelines as the two stared one another down. “Easy Tora, you’re acting as if I’ve killed before…” Tanith’s tone was teasing, but there was something beneath her words that sent a shiver down Poppy’s spine. “Come on Poppy, the kitchen is crowded.”

Poppy sat quietly and sipped her wine while Tanith chattered away; it was so strange, hearing her tell stories of Tora and Quincey from when they were young teenagers. It wasn’t often than Poppy got to learn about Tora’s past, especially from someone other than Quincey, and it was somewhat refreshing to hear someone speak on him so positively. Judging by the way Tanith talked about the younger Tora, she had a lot of love and admiration for him… Poppy tried to not read too far into it.

“I’m three years younger, so we were never in the same classes, but usually in the same schools.” Tanith explained as she took a sip of her own drink, a rum and coke she had made herself at the small bar in the corner of the living room. As Tanith talked, Poppy tried her best to remember Tora’s warnings; this girl was from the Balthuman clan, she was dangerous, and there was a big chance she was lying whenever she spoke…

But even while knowing that, Poppy couldn’t help but be interested in the fact that this girl had known Tora and seemed familiar with him. Did she know things about him that Poppy didn’t yet?

“Tell me about yourself Poppy, Quincey said you were his editor?” Tanith asked, pulling Poppy from her thoughts.

“Yes! I work at Giant Goldfish… I graduated from Narin University and studied English and Fiction Literature.” The answer was automatic and nothing more than someone could find out with a quick internet search.

Tanith pressed on; “what do you enjoy doing in your free time?”

“Reading, painting, nothing too exciting.” Poppy made the conscious effort to be vague—that was best in this type of situation, right? “How about you?”

“Oh, nothing really… Working out, shopping, I do enjoy reading; I also like to go hiking with my boyfriend.” The mention of a boyfriend piqued Poppy’s interest.

“You have a boyfriend?”

Tanith raised an eyebrow, her previously light expression faulting into something far less amused. “You find it so hard to believe?”

Poppy immediately turned read, realizing how her reaction came off. Of course it wasn’t surprising that Tanith had a boyfriend, she was beautiful; but she was also terrifying and according to Tora, a member of an illegal syndicate. What kind of man dated a woman like Tanith? Realization struck Poppy as quickly as the question passed through her mind; glancing over her shoulder, she saw Tora in the doorway of the kitchen, his back turned to the woman in the living room. Men like Tora dated women like Tanith.

“Tell me about your boyfriend!” Poppy’s voice cracked as she frantically tried to continue the conversation without letting on to her reeling thoughts. Tanith opened her mouth to speak when they were interrupted

“Nope!” Tora snapped from the doorway. “It’s bad enough you know about Bonnie, you don’t need to hear about Clyde too.” His imposing frame darkened the entrance of the kitchen, arms crossed and a firm scowl on his face as he stared Tanith down.

“Oh stop being so dramatic!” Tanith waved Tora off as she rolled her eyes.

“He is like fuckin’ Beetlejuice—say his name too much and he shows up.” Tora muttered as he turned back into the kitchen.

Tanith sighed and sipped her drink. “Ignore the drama king, he and Goliath have been friends since they were children.” She explained nonchalantly. “Tora is actually how we met.” The idea of Tora being a matchmaker baffled Poppy, but she remained engaged in Tanith’s story. “It was years ago, not long after I turned eighteen. I guess you could say Tora set us up on a blind date.”

There was a loud scoff from the kitchen that Tanith ignored as she smiled dreamily at the memory she had shared.

Dinner was served a short while later. Tanith sat in relative silence as Poppy and Quincey discussed his latest book, timelines, deadlines and anything else business related. As the conversation continued, Poppy and Quincey were oblivious to the way Tora glared at Tanith, the rage coming off of him in waves. He had specifically asked Tanith to keep from making actual contact with Poppy and now he was forced to witness them eating dinner together. If this wasn’t asking for trouble, than Tora wasn’t sure what was…


	9. Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tora should know better than to think life could be uncomplicated

Standing in Poppy’s living room, Tora kept watch out the window as she prepared their dinner. In the few weeks since Tanith and Poppy were introduced, Tora had been more on edge about the clan finding out details about his relationship. Tanith had continued to lie to Vincent, telling him that Poppy was nothing more than Quincey’s editor, that her relationship with Tora was non-existent, and that the little civilian was of no interest… But that did nothing to reassure Tora.

After the dinner that night, Tanith had walked out with Tora and Poppy into the parking garage. At first glance, it seemed that the garage was empty, but a few minutes later, as Tora drove the car out onto the street, he saw headlights in his rearview mirror.

Someone had seen Tanith, Poppy and Tora together and there was no way of knowing who it was without rising further suspicion. Instead of alerting Tanith and Poppy to what he had seen, Tora kept it to himself and became more vigilant whenever he was around Poppy, be it when at her work, or at her apartment.

In three weeks, there had been no new developments.

If Tora was a stupid man, he would begin to let his guard down. But he was anything but.

Poppy brought a tray with the meal laid out on it and set it down on the low table in her living room. “I didn’t hear your car pull up earlier, I don’t suppose you took the bus?” She teased as they sat down to their meal.

Tora scoffed. “Naw, Quincey dropped me off on his way to a dat.” He waited patiently as Poppy filled his bowl with soup, meat and veggies. “He can pick me up after…” Tora added, not wanting Poppy to think she was stuck with him for the night.

“No need.” Poppy smiled softly, keeping her eyes on the food. “You can stay the night… I like having you here.” The couple smiled at one another briefly before digging into their meal. They ate in companionable silence, words seeming unnecessary for the moment. It was rare for Poppy to find someone she was comfortable enough to share silence with, and these small moments with Tora were always her favorites.

Once they were finished with their meal, Poppy went to shower and get ready for bed while Tora cleared the dishes. The apartment was too small for them to do much of anything in tandem, leading them to adopt the divide and conquer approach to most everything. An hour later, both Tora and Poppy were shower, and curled up in bed. As Tora trailed kisses down Poppy’s neck, she sighed and arched into his embrace. As she responded to his touches, Tora began to think of the long list of things he wanted to do with the feisty hamster in his arms.

The sound of Poppy’s moans and sighs were only overpowered by the distinct sound of a lock being picked.

Tora froze, continuing to hold tight of Poppy as he listened out to reassure himself that it had just been his paranoid imagination…

“Tora?” Poppy whispered, he motioned for her to remain silent as the lock picking sounds resumed. Loosening his grip, Tora silently slipped from the bed and slipped on his jeans before pulling his Glock out from where he hid it underneath his jacket. Poppy watched in a terrified silence, clutching the blanket to her chin as she watched Tora move around the apartment with the stealth of a jungle cat.

With his gun raised to eye level, Tora silently cursed the apartment for not even having a fucking peephole. He didn’t want to wait and have the asshole picking the lock to succeed, preferring to have the upper hand. With one last glance over his shoulder to make sure Poppy was still in bed, Tora reached forward and opened the front door.

The kid yelped and dropped the tools he had been using to pick the lock. Tora immediately recognized the mousy teenager.

“Fuck!” Tora growled as he clubbed the teenager over the head with the butt of his gun, effectively knocking him unconscious and onto the floor. Laid out on the hallway of Poppy’s apartment building was a lackey that Claude kept on payroll for petty jobs he thought were beneath him.

“Bobby, pack a bag.” Tora called out as he dragged the unconscious body into the apartment.

\---

Goliath threw his head back with a low moan as the cane made contact the bare skin of his back. Standing in the living room, tethered to a heavy-duty eyelet screw in the wall with his wrists bound in rope, Goliath was able to let his frustrations and stresses of the day go and allow someone else to do the thinking for a while. Standing behind him, stripped down to her black panties Tanith left firm, steady strokes along her lover’s back, the sounds of his moans and gasps filling the air.

“Please, more.” Goliath pleaded as he opened his hooded eyes just enough to look at Tanith. She smiled, loving the sound of his lust ladened voice. Dropping the cane onto the ground with a clatter, Tanith stepped forward and took hold of Goliath’s erect cock through the thin fabric of his briefs, he groaned at the firm hold, rolling his hips into her hand. As Tanith leaned forward to lay a kiss on his sternum, there was a hard knock at the front door.

Goliath and Tanith stared at the door in shock as a sound round of knocking rang through, this time, followed by a familiar, booming voice.

“Open up, it’s an emergency!” Tora growled, his voice slightly muffled from the door. Quickly Tanith reached up and release the knot that kept Goliath tethered to the wall before diving onto the couch and grabbing a stray sweatshirt that one of them had discarded earlier that day. Goliath pulled his jeans back on but had failed to find a shirt by the time Tanith answered the front door.

Poppy gasped and covered her mouth at the sight she was greeted with, but Tora was unfazed. Goliath, still wearing rope around his wrists and partially tucked into a pair of jeans, Tanith dressed in nothing but a thong and a sweatshirt, riding crop still in hand for some reason.

“Tan!” Goliath hissed, seeing the whip. Tanith yelped and threw the crop somewhere behind her, hitting a lamp as she faked a smile.

"Hey guys! What’s up?”

Poppy still looked dumbstruck from realizing what they had walked in on, but Tora was just annoyed. “We have a problem.” He growled.


End file.
